HÀ NỘI — At least 24.4 per cent of Vietnamese children are malnourished, shows the latest survey of the National Nutrition Institute.

This was reported by the Hà Nội Department of Health at a conference on Wednesday to discuss the Day of Micro-nutrients 2018.

Speaking at the conference, Hoàng Đức Hạnh, deputy director of the department, said besides the increasing number of obese students, the rate of malnutrition, especially in children under five, in Hà Nội was some 15 per cent.

Decreasing the rate of malnourished children is one of the factors for the socio-economic development of the capital city, he said.

He attributed malnourishment to the lack of necessary micro-nutrients. The department plans to observe Day of Micro-nutrients every year to supply children with vitamin A and other essential micro-nutrients.

The day this year will be observed in two periods: June 1-4 and December 1-4.

On these days, all medical centres in Hà Nội will provide Vitamin A for free to children under five and to women who have just given birth. The centres will also check the weight and height of children aged six months to three years.

Lê Danh Tuyên, director of the National Nutrition Institute, recently said the rate of malnourished children differed across the country, with high rates of malnutrition being recorded in the Central Highlands and northern mountainous areas. Meanwhile, obesity was on the rise in urban areas. — VNS